Tramway-bucket grip.



filo- 830,564. I PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

E. A. BROWN.

TRAMWAY BUCKET GRIP. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES.

. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906. E. A. BROWN.

TRAMWAY BUCKET. GRIP.

APPLIOATION IILED JAN. 9. 1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR:

Br 2 gay/1%); r

THE NORRIS PETERS co. WASHINGTON, v. c.

i "ingbent or hooked portion 17. Said plunger UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. BROWN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH D.

BASOOM, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TRAMWAY-BUCKET GRIP.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tramway-Bucket Grips, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in grips for tramway-buckets, its object being especially to provide a grip which is readily detachable from the traction-rope of an aerial tramway. The bucket may also be detached from the grip, and the grip is so constructed as to allow the bucket to swing from one side to the other with reference to said rope or cable.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which like numbers of'reference denote like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a front elevation;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the crankhandle, face-plate, and connected parts removed; and Fig. 5 is a rear view of said faceplate.

The bucket (not shown) which is to be carried by the cable 1 is suspended from the grip by the bolt 2, which is connected to the yoke or frame 3, which is adapted to swing on the rod 4, by which said yoke is pivoted to the main casing of the grip. The main casing of the grip is composed of the rear plate or casting 5, having the forwardly-projecting flanges 6 and the face-plate 7. The face-plate 7 fits into the hollow in the rear casting 5 formed by the projection forward of the flanges 6, so as to be flush with the outer edges of the latter, and it is bolted to the rear casting 5 by means of the bolts 8, passing tnrougn the faceplate 7 and, the lugs 9, in which latter are the bolt-holes 10. A shaft 11 also passes through said face-plate 7 and said rear cast- I ing 5, and to its forward angular end 12 is fastened, by the setescrew 13, the crank-handle 14, bearing the crank 15.

Within the hollow space between the rear plate 5 and the face-plate 7 and between said j 3 two plates is located a plunger 16, which, as

clearly shown in Fig. 3, is the member that takes hold when in an elevated position, as in Figs. 1-, 2, and 3, of tne cable 1 by pressing.

the latter against the inside of the overhang- 16 is elevated to its said operative position by means of the cam 18, rigidly mounted on the shaft 11 when the crank-handle 14 is pushed to the horizontal position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, the cam 18, under the circumstances just stated, being then in the position shown in Fig. 5, with the flat portion 35 resting on the plate 23 to hold the cam 18 in the position just stated, and the projection 19, seated in the notch 20in the finger 21, pivoted at 22 to the adjustable plate 23 for additional security. The adj ustability of said plate 23 is controlled by the pair of set screws 24, and its limit of upward movement Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

being determined by its impingement on the lugs 9, located between the rear plate 5 and face-plate 7 and underneath the plunger 16. When the crank-handle 14 is raised to a vertical position, the cam 18 assumes a horizontal one, its tooth or projection 19 being forced out of notch 20 against the pressure of the leaf-spring 25, upon which the pivoted finger 21 rests.

The shaft 11 passes through the opening 26 in the rear plate 5 and is held from displacement by the fact that the cam 18 is rigidly attached thereto, said cam being located in the space 27, and the washer or washers 28 taking up any room for play between said cam and the back plate 5 and front plate 7. It will be understood that the plate 23 lies immediately underneath the space 27 said space 27' being hollowed out in the underneath side of the plunger 16. The tooth or projection 19 on the cam 18, however, extends forwardly out of said space 27 as clearly shown in Fig. 3, so as to engage the finger 21. In said plunger 16 are also provided a plurality of grooves, slots, or cavities 29 for the reception of the ends of the bolts 30, said bolts being encircled by the helical springs 31, which impinge against the end walls 32 of said cavities and against the nuts 33 at the ends of the bolts 30. By this arrangement it will be observed that when .the crank-handle 14 is depressed to a horisprings 31 is suspended and the cam is held in its position to force the plunger against the cable 1 by the projection or tooth 19 being seated in the notch 20. The pressure of the spring 25 is sufficient to require the exertion of some little force on the crank-handle 14 to unseat said tooth 19 from the notch 20 in order to allow. the cam 18 to rotate and the plunger 16 to fall, in which descent same is aided by the expansion of the springs 31. The limit of downward travel of the plunger 16 is fixed by the lugs 9, formed integral with or rigidly attached to the flanges 6.

The spring 25 and finger 21 are accommodated in the recess 34, formed on the inside of the face-plate 7, which is larger at the top than at the bottom, its Fig. 5.

The opening 26 being elongated allows for vertical adjustability or play of the shaft 11. This is desirable because it has been found that as the parts are all necessarily of heavy and solid construction the spring 25 is not always easily compressed when cam 18 rides up the beveled nose of finger 21, so that allowing shaft 11 to have a reasonable amount of play at one end permits cam 18 to rise a little, if the finger 21 is not easily depressed. Thus the projection 19 becomes seated in notch 20 more easily, and smoother and more satisfactory operation of the cam 18 and the parts in connection therewith is secured.

The plun er 16 begins to bite the cable 1 assoon as .t e first pressure to elevate same is applied to the lever-arm 14, and this may be applied by a projection from some structure near the moving cable. As the cable continues moving this pressure continues until the arm 14 is pushed to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 5, which produces the tightest hold on the cable 1 and allows the arm 14 to ride past the said projection. (Not shown.)

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a grip, the combination of a body portion, a hooked portion carried thereby, a plunger also carried by said body portion and actuatable to 006 erate with said hooked portion to grasp tl ie cable, a shaft passing through said body portion and bearing a cam, means for rotating said shaft to actuate said plunger by said cam, a tooth or projection on said cam, and a retaining device therefor.

2. In a grip, the combination of a body portion, a hooked portion carried thereby, a plunger also carried by said body portion and actuatable to cooperate with said hooked portion to rasp the cable, a shaft passing through sai body portion and bearing a cam, means for rotating said shaft to actuate said plunger by said cam, a tooth or projection on said cam, and a spring-pressed retaining device therefor.

position being shown in 3. In a device of the character described, the combination of acasing having an opening therethrough and a space within same, a spring-pressed plunger located in said space, a crank-shaft passing through said opening, a cam borne by said shaft to actuate said plunger against the pressure of said springs when said shaft is rotated.

1. In combination with the casing, a movable member, a cam for actuating said member, and a friction member for engaging said cam to sustain said movable member in elevated position.

5. In combination with the casing, a movable gripping member therein, means for actuating said member, and a combined friction retaining and locking means for engagement with said member 6. In combination with the casing, a movable spring-retractile gripping member therein, means for actuating said member, and a combined friction retaining and locking means adjustably mounted for engagement with said member.

7. In combination with the casing, and a plunger movable therein, means for actuating said plunger, and an adjustably-mounted friction-plate for engagement with said actuating means to retain said plunger in elevated position.

8. In combination with the casing, and a plunger movable therein, a cam having one end for engagement with said plunger, and spring-pressed means for engagement with the op osite end of said cam to lock the latter.

9. n a grip, a casing having a movable member therein, fixed means to engage said member and retain same in elevated position, and means carried by said means to lock said member in elevated position.

10. In combination with the casin a plunger movable therein, means cap able oIrotary and vertical movement for actuating said plunger, and means to sustain said means against downward and rotary movement.

11. In combination with a casing formed with a hooked portion, a spring-retracted plunger cooperating therewith, means for actuating said plunger, and a plate carrying spring-pressed means for engagement with said actuating means to retain the plunger in elevated position.

12. In combination with a casing, and a plunger movable therein, and a cam for actuating said plunger, a plate adjustable with respect to said cam and for engagement therewith to retain the plunger in elevated osition, and a spring-pressed finger carriec by the plate to lock said cam against movement.

13. In combination with the casing, and a movable member therein, a plate stationary with respect to said member, a cam disposed between said member and plate to bear lIO against thelatter and elevate the member, 1 0

and means for locking said cam upon elevation of said member.

14. In combination with a casing, a springretracted plunger therein, a cam having a fiat portion and a projection on one of its ends and having its opposite end for engagement with said plunger to actuate the same, a stationary plate adjustably mounted in the casing for engagement with said fiat portion of the cam, a finger pivoted to said plate and having a notch therein to receive said cam projection, and a leaf-spring confined in the casing and en aging said finger.

15. A grip or aerial tramways, consisting of a fixed jaw; a movable jaw; means for regulating the adjustment of the jaws relative to each other; mechanism for clamping the movable jaw on the cable; and mechanism for retaining and means for holding said movable jaw in said clamped position, substantially as specified.

16. In a grip for aerial tramways, a grip mechanism for clamping the movable jaw; and a resilient catch for retaining the clamping mechanism in a vertical position; substantially as specified.

17. In a grip for aerial tramways, a stationary jaw; a movable jaw; means for adjusting the grip-opening; a cam mechanism for clamping the movable jaw; and a resilient catch for holdin said jaw in its clamped position; substantia ly as specified.

18. In a grip for aerial tramway-cables, a double-throw cam-gripping mechanism; means for locking said cam in a vertical position; and means for adjusting the gripopening; substantially as specified.

19. In a grip for aerial tramway-cables, a stationary and a movable jaw; an adjusting mechanism for regulating the grip-opening; and a double-throw cam mechanism for gripping the movable jaw; said mechanism being ocated between the movable jaw and the 1aldjusting mechanism, substantially as speci- 20. A grip for aerial tramways consisting of a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, a cam for actuating said movable jaw, and means for actuating said cam.

21. A grip for aerial tramways embodying a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, and means for operating said movable jaw, said means being capable of vertical play at one end only thereof.

22. A grip for aerial tramways consisting of a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, a cam for actuating said movable jaw, said cam being fixed to a shaft, and a crank or lever fixedto and adapted to rotate said shaft.

23. A grip for aerial tramways consisting of a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, a cam actuating said movable jaw, a shaft on which said cam is mounted, said movable jaw traveling at right angles to said shaft, and means to actuate said shaft.

24. A grip for aerial tramways consisting of a fixed jaw, a movable jaw, a cam actuating said movable jaw, a shaft on which said cam is mounted, said shaft having one end carried in a slot formed in said fixed jaw.

25. A grip for aerial tramways consisting of a fixed jaw having a slot therein, a movable jaw, and a shaft adapted to actuate said movable jaw, said shaft being vertically adjustable in said slot.

26. A grip for aerial tramways embodying a fixed and a movable jaw, means for operating said movable jaw, and a mounting for said means capable of vertical movement at one end only thereof.

27. In combination with a fixed jaw having a vertical slot in one side thereof, a movab e jaw, a shaft having one end extending through said slot and having its opposite end passed through a circular o enin formed therefor in the opposite side 0 said ed jaw, and means operated by the shaft for actuating said movable aw.

28. A grip for aerial tramways embodying a fixed and a movable jaw, rotatable means for operating said movable jaw, and means whereby said means may have an independent depressible movement in addition to said rotary movement.

29. A grip for aerial tramways embodying a fixed and a movable jaw, a shaft capable of rotary movement supported from said fixed jaw, and having in addition to said rotary movement depressible movement at one end thereof, and means on said shaft for operatin said movable jaw.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD A. BROWN.

Witnesses:

M. E. LETOHER, GLADYs WALTON. 

